


That Night

by AllTheNamesIWantedWereUsed



Category: The Black Tapes Podcast
Genre: Angst and Feels, Arguing, Canon Compliant, F/M, Gen, Horror, Married Couple, Spoilers, rocky relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-26
Updated: 2017-03-26
Packaged: 2018-10-11 01:44:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10452192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllTheNamesIWantedWereUsed/pseuds/AllTheNamesIWantedWereUsed
Summary: My take on what happened the night Coralee Strand disappeared





	

**Author's Note:**

> This might already have been done but...here *shoves at you*

The slamming of the car door echoed across the parking lot of the dimly lit gas station. Richard stormed across the lot, his shoes slapping the concrete, desperate to get away from the car behind him. The other car door open and shut in the same fashion, and Coralee followed him.

 

“Richard!” she shouted, cheeks pink with anger that had previously been hidden in the shadows of the night. The sound of her voice brought on a fresh wave of rage and heartache and Richard spun on his heel.

 

“How long, Coralee?” he roared.

 

“What are you talking about?” she demanded.

 

“Meticulously planned meetings, distance, being secretive,” he snarled, rattling off all her strange behaviors of late.

 

Coralee’s mind rivaled his own, and it didn’t take long for her to guess what he was referring to. Her eyes widened and her expression took on one of disbelief and anger. “You think I’m having an _affair_?” she shrieked in outrage. “How lowly do you think of me?”

 

“What the hell am I supposed to think?” Richard yelled.

 

Angry tears brightened and reddened Coralee’s eyes. “Richard,” she choked out, “I-would _never_ \- do that to you-to _Charlie_ -”

 

“Is that it?” His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper, then rose in volume as he continued, “I couldn’t give you children, and Charlie wasn’t good enough, so you ran to somebody else; I wonder who it is-” _If only she knew why I can’t-_

 

 _“I am_ not _cheating on you!_ ” she screamed.

 

 _“Then what are you hiding?”_ he shouted. “Tell me, Coralee!”

 

He had never seen his wife look so defeated. “I-I can’t,” she whispered.

 

He couldn’t look at her anymore. He turned away, staring up at the faded, fluorescent, moth covered lights hanging over the pumps, maintaining eye contact with it even as spots danced in front of his vision. He heard the car door open and slam shut once more, but no jingling of keys, no humming of the engine. He forced himself to turn around to see Coralee, storming down the highway.

He turned back to the gas pumps, clenching and unclenching his fists, trying to force himself to calm down. Minutes passed, and moths lazily flitted from dim light to dim light.

 

When he checked his watch, about ten minutes had passed, though his eyes kept unfocusing on the hands on the watch face.

 

He should go after her, make sure she was okay.

 

There was lead in his step as he stalked towards the car, wrenched open the driver’s side door and quickly started the engine before pulling out of the gas station.

 

He started up the highway, calculating in his head that she couldn’t have gone far, but as he drove, he saw nothing but trees and crude fences along the highway, meant to keep deer in the woods. Unsettled, he rolled down his windows, and began calling her name.

 

“Coralee? Coralee?” he shouted into the night air, but for twenty minutes his only reply was the trees swaying in the wind. His heart rate started to speed up, and icy fear leaked into his blood and chilled him throughout.

 

 _No. No. No. It couldn’t have- not here, not now,_ he pleaded silently. Considering his history with shadows, he never should have let his wife go walking off into them alone.

 

He drove for about another half hour with no success, and so with trembling hands and a hammering heart, he drove back to the gas station to call the police.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry none of this is probbaly accurate and it's really bad but oh well
> 
> Comment/kudos, please?


End file.
